Tag Archives: IGMA Guild School

Swan Song from Paris: La Fenêtre

Posted on November 4, 2017 by smallhousepress

  At 8:00 a.m., November 3, 2007, red-eyed and flight-addled, Noel and I were huddling with our roller bags around cafe cremes across rue Cler from our favorite Greek-French café from the previous trip—Ulysse en Gaulle—which had yet to open. … Continue reading →

Posted in Miniatures, shops | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

An Ode to the Odd: The Castine Gallery

Posted on September 5, 2016 by smallhousepress

On almost any day in June of 1994, at about 8:00 a.m., if you were to head to downtown Castine from the Maine Maritime Academy–home to the IGMA’s annual Guild School mini camp—you might cut across Deadman’s Alley, turn down … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Breeze and I—Putting a Roof on It

Posted on August 1, 2015 by smallhousepress

I was born under a lucky star. Not only did I grow up in a picturesque New England town, but for part of many summers my family explored coastal towns from Mass. to Maine by boat. I have in memory … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Care and Feeding of Dollhouse Makers…

Posted on June 14, 2015 by smallhousepress

or, Fueling the Muse Part I: Get a Job The Mini Muse started a hunger strike about ten years into our stint as miniaturists. For most of those years we lived, mind and body, immersed in work (even though work was … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

The Last of the Bungalows: A Labor of Love

Posted on May 30, 2015 by smallhousepress

1994 Bungalow teaching project, currently residing at the National Museum of Toys & Miniatures in Kansas City Our obsession with Charles & Henry Greene, and the Arts and Crafts Bungalow style, reached its finale in late 1994 when we started the … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Summer House: “A Simple Cottage”

Posted on April 23, 2013 by smallhousepress

Sitting out a thunderstorm in Atlanta on our way home from teaching the Airplane Café in Maine, I suggested we go back to the ABC’s–come up with a simple project for our students. As fun as the three roadside stands … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

The Airplane Cafe: Lunch on the Road

Posted on April 7, 2013 by smallhousepress

In the late and frivolous 1920s, Americans loved flying aces, motion pictures, and automobiles. America was motion crazy. We idolized the daring breed of ex-fighter pilots who flew the U.S. Mail Service by the seat of their pants. On the … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures, Teaching | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

The Beach Cottage–“Cuter than a bug!”

Posted on July 8, 2012 by smallhousepress

The Beach Cottage, 1986 As I pack up the Beach Cottage and the Garden Shed prototypes to send to their new owners, I’m feeling the tug of those days when we first built them. They are teaching samples for our … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures, People | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Garden Shed: Bird Poo 101

Posted on May 12, 2012 by smallhousepress

The Gardener’s Shed, project #33, marked the start of our official teaching career. Prior to that our “teaching” was more like the blind leading the blind, as those of you who took our early garage classes in Seattle can attest … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments